Computer networking broadly refers to the data communication system resulting from linking two or more computing systems. Networking allows those who can access the network to share programs, data, network resources, database information, and to facilitate other functions such as e-mail and data backups. The need for immediate access to information has fueled the pursuit of more sophisticated networks and network applications to conveniently and efficiently communicate information.
Due to its vast reach, the global web of interconnected computers and computer networks referred to as the Internet has proved to be an invaluable tool in satisfying the need for on-demand information. The Internet is used as a business and personal tool to facilitate global e-mail, remote data access, research, etc. Its ability to deliver multimedia content has also established the Internet as an entertainment tool for playing games, delivering stream content such as video, audio and MP3, and the like.
Gaining access to the information available on the Internet conventionally required a hardware connection to the Internet. While the Internet allows users to access information via any computer or terminal connected to the Internet, the need for a hardware connection established an undesirable physicai limitation to Internet information access—a particular impediment to users that spend a substantial amount of time on the move. As users become more dependent on information and services provided via the Internet, an integration of the Internet and the wireless domain becomes increasingly important.
Wireless networks, such as GSM, IS-136, IS-95, PDC, etc., have traditionally been used in connection with mobile telephone communication. These sophisticated wireless networks made possible another aspect of communication convenience, by allowing mobile telephone users to communicate with other mobile users and with landline telephony systems. However, the need still existed to integrate information networks, such as intranets and the Internet, with the portability and convenience of mobile devices.
This need gave rise to efforts to integrate the Internet and other networks with wireless network platforms. One solution is the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) which brings the convenience of the Internet into the wireless community. WAP bridges the gap between the wireline Internet paradigm and the wireless domain, to allow wireless device users to enjoy the benefits of the Internet across both platforms.
Generally, WAP is a set of protocols that accounts for characteristics and functionality of both Internet standards and standards for wireless services. It is independent of wireless network standards, and is designed as an open standard. The motivations for WAP are primarily a result of physical and logical limitations of small wireless devices, such as limited keyboards and displays, limited bandwidth, limited memory and processing capabilities, and limited battery power. A markup language, referred to as the wireless markup language (WML), is used for authoring services designed to fit these smaller, and often portable, handheld devices that have a considerably limited display area as compared to their desktop counterparts targeted by HTML. Another feature of WAP services is the availability of supporting more advanced functional tasks using WMLScript, which is at least loosely analogous to utilizing JavaScript in connection with HTML (HyperText Markup Language). The functional enhancements available through WMLScript include procedural logic and computational functions to WAP-based services.
WAP therefore allows desired information stored on a remote network to be delivered to the wireless device within the wireless network. However, it is not always desirable to necessitate access to the remote network for desired information, as it may be more time consuming, and may be associated with a transaction or access fee to obtain desired information. It is also undesirable for all information to be stored locally, as wireless or other mobile devices are generally limited in memory capacity. Mobile devices also often operate using preset navigation structures, which makes navigation parameters difficult to change. These and other limitations make navigation and content delivery to WAP devices problematic.
In view of various inherent limitations of mobile devices, and the need to provide access to the wealth of reference information available on existing network platforms, it would be desirable to avoid these and other problems associated with prior art systems. A need exists in the communications industry for a system and manner of obtaining reference information via wireless devices from other networks, while increasing flexibility and user convenience. The present invention provides a solution to the aforementioned and other shortcomings of the prior art, while offering additional advantages over the prior art.